Condensate trap for suction conduits



Oct. 17, 1944. F.-'B. ALLEN ooNnsNsATE TRAP Foa sUcTIoN coNnUIfrs Filed Oct. 9. 1942 lNvENToR AFM4/wf 5. ALL'f/v Quill HI I Emm-

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 17, 1944 comJENsAim` TRAP Fon sUcTIoN -ooNDUI'rs Frank B. Allen. Verona, N. J., assignor to C-O- Two Fire Equipment Company, Newark, N. J., K a corporation of Delaware Application October 9, 1942, Serial No. 461,641"

2 Claims. y

This invention has reference to water traps adapted for use with systems or apparatus comprising tubes or pipes through which air or gas is being drawn by suction.

In smoke detecting apparatus ofthe type employed in detecting smoke in different compartments on a ship and/or in delivering of iire extinguishing uid to such compartments, provision is'made for continuously drawing air from the compartments through tubes or pipes.V If high temperature air is drawn from the compartments it may carry a large amount of moisture and if the tube passes through a very cold or through a cooler section, the moisture in the air will drop out and flow to the lowest point in the tube. The amount ofmoisture so collected may decrease the effective cross sectional area of the suction tube thereby decreasing the eiiiciency of the detecting system or it may close the suction tube thus defeating the whole purpose of the system and there are other obvious objections to the collection of Water in the tubes. Condensate traps have been provided for the purpose of trapping the condensed moisture and letting it escape and these traps have been provided with means for preventing the escape of fire extinguishing fluid under pressure from the tubes into and through the condensate trap and out into the atmosphere. y

It is an object of thisinvention to provide an improved form of condensate trap for suction tubes, of a simpler form than has heretofore been known and .in which the parts are readily assembled and may be readily disassembled for purposes of inspection, cleaning and replacement.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the single figure of the drawing which is a vertical axial section of the condensate trap in position on a tube. K

The condensate trap comprises a cylindrical casing 2 which is preferably made of brass and which is provided with a bore extending from one end of the casing to the other. This bore comprises an upper section 3 of relatively large diameter and of greater length than the other sections of the bore, a second section 4 of smaller diameter and of shorter length, a third section 5 of still smaller diameter and a fourth section 6 of still smaller diameter.

Seated in the section 3 of the bore and on the shoulder l0 between sections 3 and 4 is a porous ceramic core ll preferably cup-shaped as shown and held seated against said shoulder by means of a phosphor bronze vspring l2 having its upper convolution I3 enlarged to seat in a groove4l4 near the upper end ofthe wall of the'section 3 to retain the spring in position which in turn retains the ceramic core in position.

In the section 4 of the bore is mountedv a valve` it in the form of a discheld in an intermediate position in the sectionA and 'spaced from the vshoulder Il between the sections 4 and 5 which shoulder is fashioned to constitute a seat for the valve. The valve I6 is held in this position by a spring I9 preferably of phosphor bronze seated in the section 5 and on the shoulder 2l) between the sections 5 and 6 of the bore. The valve' I6 is of slightly less diameter than the diameter of the section 4 to permit condensed water passing through the ceramic core to drain past the valve I6 but is of sufficiently large diameter to cause gas such as carbon dioxide gas passing through the core to build up suicient pressure to seat the valve I6 on the valve seat l1 to prevent further escape of such gas as when the tube to which the trap is connected is used for conveying fire extinguishing fluid to the room or compartment in which smoke has been detected.

The trap casing 2 may be connected by means of a T connection, not disclosed, to the tube or provision may be made for connecting the casing to the tube without necessitating cutting the tube and connecting a T connection therein.

For this purpose the upper end of the casing Y 2 may be threaded exteriorly as indicated for threaded connection in the .interiorly threaded end of a boss on a lower clamping member 25 which may be drawn up against the tube by means of threaded bolts 26 threaded into an upper clamping member 21 as is well understood.

For the purpose of establishing communication between the casing and the tube, the lower member 25 is provided with a bore 28 having a shoulder 29 on which is seated a sleeve 30 which extends into a hole drilled in a low point in the tube in which water collects. A gasket 3|, preferably of material known as Vellumoid, seated in the curved seat in the lower member 25 and surrounding the sleeve 30 is provided to eifect a iiuid tight connection between the tube and the lower clamping member 25 as is understood.

While I have illustrated and described in detail Ia preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I reserve the right to all such changes and modifications as fall within the principle of my invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: a

1. In a condensate trap for suction and high pressure conduits, comprising a vertically disposed casing having provision for supporting the same on the lower side of a conduit and provided with a bore comprising four sections of different diameters arranged in the order` of decreasing diameters from the. -upperto the lowerend of the casing and 'forming three upwardly facing shoulders, a porous element seated on the upper shoulder and of a porosity permitting the escape of condensate but of suicient fineness of pores to substantially prevent air from being drawnv therethrough under suction pressures in said conduit While permitting the passage vvof gas under .high pressure in said conduit in substantial quantities, a light spring seated on the lower shoulder and a valve disc supported by said spring at a point between the upper and intermediate shoulders and of slightly smaller diameter than that of the bore section in which itis located to permit the productscof condensation to. now past said valve disc, the porosity. of saidlelement, the relative diameters of s'advalve discand said bore section, andthe'strength of said spring being so chosen and proportioned that gas `under high pressure will pass through Vsaid element in sufficient amounts to seat said valvev disc on/said intermediate shoulder.

2. In a condensate trap for suction and high pressure conduits, comprising a vertically disposed casing having provision for supporting the same on the lower side of a conduit and provided with a through bore comprising at least three sections of different diameters with the section of the largest diameter located at the upper end of the casingand the section of the smallest diameter located vin* the lowerend of the casing, providing two upwardly facing shoulders, a porous 1' velement seated on the upper shoulder and of a porosity permitting the escape of condensate but the passage of gas under high pressure in said l of suicient neness of pores to substantially prevent air from being drawn therethrough under suction pressuresin said conduit while permitting conduit to pass therethrough in substantial quan- FRANK B. ALLEN. 

